Waffles
by 1221bookworm
Summary: Nina treats Inej to her first taste of Waffles - or, a short drabble for Waffle Day.


**_A/N: Today is Waffle day, so here's a quick story of Nina introducing Inej to waffles. _**

******_A/N 2: I don't own anything, not even a waffle iron!_**

"There. A day or two off your leg and you'll be good as new." Nina wiped her hands on a rag before checking the bindings on Inej's ankle one more time. She couldn't blame the other girl for her groan. "It's really not that bad you know." She fixed Inej with a glare before turning to pack up her supplies.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Inej stood, testing her weight on her leg. Nina felt a bit of pride at how well Inej could walk after the healing. Kaz didn't appreciate her skills.

"You're still supposed to stay off it for a day or two at least," she warned the spider, who was now stretching, standing on her toes and then rocking back onto her heals. "And definitely none of whatever that is."

"Warm up exercises." The Suli girl eased herself back down onto the edge of the cot. "All acrobats learn to do them before doing any extended show. It helps prevent muscle spasms and injuries."

"So you want to explain how you sprained your ankle tonight?" It may not have been the nicest thing to say, but Inej _had _to learn that the rooftops of Ketterdam were decidedly the opposite of any acrobatic tricks she was used to.

"I overestimated the jump between rooftops." Her voice was mixture of sullen resignation and wounded pride.

"Because, of course, Brekker would have you running around in the rain, when the tiles are slick, and there's no safety net – "

"I work without a safety net." Nina was shocked by new intensity in her features. She must have struck a nerve. Time to change tactics. She shut her case with a little snap.

"Well, I don't have any clients tonight, and I'm famished. What do you say we go to that waffle house and get something to eat."

Inej shrugged, swinging herself back to her feet. "I guess. It's on my way back to the Slat."

"You guess?" Nina clutched at her chest in mock horror. "Going to the waffle house is a treat. I'd go every night if I wasn't trying to pay off an indenture."

"I've never eaten there," the Suli girl admitted as they reached street level and crossed the bridge over the nearest canal. Nina had to keep a sharp eye on Inej lest she disappear into the crowd like the wraith she was nicknamed.

"Then you have been denied the single most pleasurable delicacy of this entire city."

Inej didn't seem impressed, but Nina wasn't worried. She could be _very _persuasive.

Nina insisted on ordering for both of them, ordering the tall stack with extra sugar and cream. There wasn't any fruit in season, or she would have had them add it on top, she explained to Inej as they waited for their plates to arrive.

When they did, she smothered both piles of waffles with syrup before she let Inej take her first bite.

Inej looked at her fork skeptically. "How can this much sugar possibly be good for you?"

"Hush. Eat. It's a Ravkan health secret that I'll gladly share with you. Sugar heals everything."

Shaking her head at the absurdity of the statement, Inej took a bite. Nina took great pride in the look of surprise that filled her eyes. "This is better than I thought."

"Of course it is, sweetheart. Waffles are soul food."

"I'm not sure about that, but I certainly didn't realize how hungry I was until just now."

"Healing will do that to you." At least that was an accurate statement.

It didn't take long for both plates to be empty, even the syrup carefully sopped up with the last pieces of waffle. Inej sighed with contentment as she swallowed the last bite, leaning back in her seat and allowing her eyes to drift shut. "That was such a treat."

Nina insisted on paying for both of them, despite Inej's protests. "I'll add it to Brekker's healing bill," she told her. Not that she would actually get any money from the penny pinching man, but she couldn't let Inej feel guilty, even if it did mean she wouldn't have any savings at the end of the week.

"We'll have to come here again together." Inej yawned as she said it, another side effect of Nina's healing on her ankle.

"Yes. It'll be our little treat for just the two of us."

"Next time is my treat, I insist. I'll come find you after I get my next big haul."

Nina grinned, putting her arm Inej to lead her back to the slat. "Count on it. Waffles are made for best friends."


End file.
